Football | Afcon

Ghana drops Andre Ayew

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah has dropped midfielder Andre Ayew from his squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The French-based star got a hamstring injury in training last week and failed to meet Saturday’s deadline for players to report for Ghana’s pre-tournament training camp in Abu Dhabi.

A statement on the Ghana FA website read: “I have decided to exclude midfielder Andre Ayew from the Ghana squad for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

“Following Andre’s inability to join the Black Stars squad by Monday morning for Ghana’s team doctors to assess the extent of his injury and fitness for the tournament, I have decided to work only with the players currently in camp.

“All the players were given the deadline of Saturday to report to camp in Abu Dhabi unfortunately Andre did not turn up despite being released by his club and air tickets provided by the GFA for him to travel from France to beat the deadline.

“As he did not turn up by Saturday night, I ordered for him to be contacted over his absence but he said he could not depart from France because he was seeing his doctors.

“The uncertainty over Andre’s fitness started when the GFA received a letter from his club side Marseille that he had had a hamstring injury so could not meet the GFA deadline of Saturday 5th January 2013 for reporting to camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

“In response the GFA wished the player a speedy recovery and requested him to report to camp by the Saturday 5th January 2013 deadline and submit himself to the medical team of the Black Stars for examination and if possible for treatment.

“The club wrote back to the GFA confirming it had released the player to join the Black Stars at its camp in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 5th January 2013.

“Unfortunately, Andre failed to report to camp and indicated that owing to the treatment he was receiving from his doctor he would report to camp on Wednesday 9th January 2013.

“He was further advised to endeavor to report to the camp by latest Monday 7th January 2013 because Wednesday 9th January 2013 was the deadline for submission of the list of 23 players to Caf.

“As Andre plans to arrive on Tuesday it means he would be unable to join any of my six training sessions before CAF’s Wednesday deadline for the submission of the final squad.

“In line with my vision of taking only fit players for the Africa Cup of Nations, I have decided that to work only with the players currently in camp.

“I have personally explained the rationale behind the decision to Andre and I will continue to count on him in future matches if he is fit.”